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Picture yourself going on a long hike through an old-growth rainforest. You come to a clearing and super-heated water bubbles out of the ground and trickles...

For two weeks in August, my husband and I packed up the kids and the car and headed to Canada's west coast for a rest, relaxation and family adventure.

On the itinerary was a side trip planned to the Sunshine Coast to visit some friends. Even though I was raised in B.C's Lower Mainland, I had never been there before.

It's a quick ferry ride from West Vancouver's Horseshoe Bay to the Langdale terminal. In just 40 minutes the hustle and bustle of Vancouver and the Lower Mainland are far behind. (There are ample sailings all summer aboard B.C. Ferries ships, but it's a good idea to make reservations. )

Upon arrival on the Sunshine Coast, we felt we were in the midst of a noticeably different beauty. Driving the main highway, sweeping coastlines mixed with lush green forests. Most of the road is two lane and windy. We had planned to take time to kick back and relax, instead we found there were so many things to do along the 85 kilometres between Gibsons and Earls Cove. Many of the activities were slightly off the beaten track but well worth the time to search out.

Travelling the Sunshine Coast is family friendly. Here are the top five memorable things we did.

Exploring Gibsons

I remember watching the television show the Beachcombers and Gibsons is the location where it was filmed. The coastal community still has a tie to that show with the famous boat, the Persephone, on display along one of the main streets just up from the restaurant Molly's Reach, which was featured in the show. We took a walking tour of the area and ended up wandering down to the docks where lots of fishing boats were tied up. One in particular had a selection of fresh seafood for sale. Ayden, our eldest child, saw water leaking from the side of the boat and wondered where it was coming from. The lady aboard invited him on to take a closer look. Aboard the boat, there was a large container filled with live crabs.

Ayden was invited to take a closer look. Not quite sure what to make of it, nonetheless he thought it was a cool experience.

Take a drive

One day we decided to head north from Roberts Creek. We drove about about 70 kilometres and ended up at Edgemont, the entry point to Skookumchuck Narrows Provincial Park. It is just east of Earls Cove, which is where you can get a ferry towards the Powell River area. From the parking lot in Edgemont, it's about a four-km walk to the rapids. We didn't quite make it all the way and had to turn back, but the hike would certinly be doable for a young family. We did manage to hike along a well maintained path with lots of lush green forest and a trickling creek with a small waterfall, complete with a busy bakery conveniently located early along the trail. Next time, we'll make the journey and get to see the narrows tidal rapids, which connect Sechelt with Jervis Inlets. Twice a day the tides reverse causing the strong rapids to change direction. The rapids are a popular area for kayakers to test their skills.

Tidal pool searches

We were lucky that the week that we were visiting there were some low tides. Each morning we would walk to the beach down the street from where we were staying in Roberts Creek and explore the tidal pools. The most amazing thing for the kids, and for us too, was finding a pool with dozens of purple starfish. While there were starfish elsewhere too, the sight of that many together was intriguing. The kids also revelled in finding hermit crabs, barnacles, mussels and small fish caught in the waters along the beach coastline.

Check out the local art

B.C.'s Sunshine Coast is home to many artisans: painters, sculptors, native artists and potters. During one of our drives, we stopped for lunch in a small community called Halfmoon Bay. While eating we noticed about a half-dozen people perched up on a small bluff. Every one of them had an easel and paints and they were painting the community scene, possibly even our family in some of those scenes.

There are many small galleries in most communities. We visited one in particular in Davis Bay, which specializes in native art.

Our sons were fascinated with the carvings of the various animals and symbols of ancient lore. We bought each of them a smallcarved box of their choosing to remember the trip.

Roberts Creek community mandala

Every summer since 1997, young and old residents of Roberts Creek as well as local artists come together to create a public artwork on the ground at the entrance to the beaches. Before the public begins participating, organizers paint a white, blank canvas on the asphalt. After the initial design dries, participants are asked to create their piece within their space. My two sons plus our friends' kids painted three triangles around the perimeter of the design.

Participants are encouraged to share their artistic visions within their canvas. This year, the mosaic was finished in three days and in the end, a colourful abstract came together for visitors to enjoy for the year. The process starts from scratch again the next year.

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